Zohar
3,895 passages indexed from Zohar (The Zohar; London, Soncino Press, 1933) — Page 17 of 78
License: Public Domain
Zohar, Nasso 5:6
R. Eleazar adduced here the verse: “And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter…. There he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them” (Ex. 15, 23-25). ‘I wonder’, he said, ‘how it is that people take so little trouble to understand the words of the Torah. Here, for example, one should really inquire what is the point of the words “There he made for them… and there he proved them”.
Zohar, Balak 8:13
So God, being a wise physician, knew that if He gave the Torah to Israel without telling them they would every day pursue them and kIII them for it, but in this way He made them give presents and gifts so that Israel should accept it, and Moses received all of them to give to Israel, as it is written: “Thou has ascended on high, thou hast taken captives” (Ps. 68, 19), and in this way Israel inherited the Torah without any opposition or challenge.
Zohar, Vayera 20:5
The Scripture says in one place that “it shall be, that whoso of the families of the earth goes not unto Jerusalem… upon them there shall be no rain” (Zech. 14, 17), i.e. as a punishment; but the passage continues: “And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not… there shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite the nations” (Ibid. 18). Observe that it is not written “upon them there shall be no rain”, for the reason, that it never rains in Egypt, nor is there any need of rain there: hence, their punishment will be “the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the nations”. Similarly of Sodom it is written that “it was well watered everywhere” (Gen. 13, 10); it possessed all the luxuries of the world, and its inhabitants were unwilling that other people should share them.’
Zohar, Shemot 13:28
At that moment three hundred and ninety firmaments shall begin to shake. The Holy One shall command one of these firmaments, which has been kept in waiting since the six days of creation, to approach, and He shall take out from a certain temple in it a crown inscribed with holy names. It was with this crown that the Holy One adorned Himself when the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and He avenged Himself on all the chariots of Pharaoh and his horsemen. With this same crown will He crown King Messiah.
Zohar, Bamidbar 5:3
So all the souls of man are taken by the Tree of Death in deposit, and all have a taste of death. Now although their sins are excessive, and they do not deserve to receive back their souls, and the Tree has really no right to give them back,1Being the attribute of Judgement. yet they are returned to men
Zohar, Vayishlach 7:8
Many were the stratagems and cunning devices to which the serpent-rider resorted on that night against Jacob. For he well knew that “the voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau” (Gen. 27, 22), so that whenever the voice of Jacob is interrupted, the hands of Esau are reinforced. He therefore cast about on all sides for means of interrupting his voice,
Zohar, Pekudei 5:8
The same happened in the creation of the world, of which it is likewise written: “And the heaven and the earth were finished” (Gen. 2, 1). This, it is true, seems to conflict with the statement that “on the seventh day Godfinished his work which he had made” (Ibid. 2.) But the truth is, that although the several parts of the world completed themselves one by one, yet the world in its entirety was only completed and firmly established when the seventh day came. For then did the Holy One, blessed be He, with it knit together the world into a complete whole, so that it could be written, “And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made.”
Zohar, Noach 13:3
The name laisha is further explained by the words which immediately follow, aniah anathoth, which properly mean ‘poorest of the poor”. The word anathoth is found with a similar meaning in the passage “of the priests that were in Anathoth” (Jer. 1, 1). Another example of the word used in this sense is in the verse “Anathoth, get thee unto thine own fields” (I Kings 2, 26). The meaning of this verse is as follows. So long as King David was alive, Abiathar was wealthy and prosperous; but after David died, Solomon ordered him to get to his own fields, calling him “Anathoth”.
Zohar, Nasso 4:6
One sinner in the world brings about the destruction of many. Woe to the sinner, woe to his neighbour! We see this in the case of Jonah. Through his refusing to carry the message of his Master, how many people would have been destroyed on his account in the sea! So they all turned on him and carried out on him the sentence of sea-drowning, whereby they were all saved. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, had mercy on him and so brought about the deliverance of multitudes of people. This happened after Jonah returned to his Master out of the midst of his affliction, as we read: “I called out of my affliction unto the Lord, and he answered me” (Jonah 2, 3).’
Zohar, Bereshit 5:3
This expression “and said” (vayomer) opens the door to inquiry and understanding. We define this “saying” as an energy that was culled, as it were, in silence from the mystic limitless through the mystic power of thought. Hence “and God said” means that now the above-mentioned palace generated from the holy seed with which it was pregnant. While it brought forth in silence, that which it bore was heard without. That which bore, bore in silence without making a sound, but when that issued from it which did issue, it became a voice which was heard without, to wit, “Let there be light.”
Zohar, Terumah 12:19
Said R. Hamnuna the Ancient: ‘This stirring up of the unity has indeed been rightly and justly expounded, and that which we have just now heard is indeed very true; and in the future time these word’s which we have now uttered will stand before the Ancient of Days and in no wise be abashed.’
Zohar, Chayei Sara 3:5
Such a king is plunged in darkness until he purifies himself and regains the supernal sphere.
Zohar, Shemot 12:4
When the Edomitic exile comes to an end He shall manifest His glory in fulness and raise up His Spouse from the dust, saying to her: “Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem, loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion” (Isa. 52, 2). Who shall then stand against Him?
Zohar, Shmini 6:1
DRINK NO WINE NOR STRONG DRINK, THOU NOR THY SONS, ETC. R. Judah said: ‘The fact that this injunction was given to the priests shows that Nadab and Abihu were under the influence of wine.’ R. Hiya adduced here the verse: “Wine rejoiceth the heart of man” (Ps. 104, 15). ‘If, he said, the priest requires to be glad and smiling more than other men, why is he forbidden wine, which creates joy and smiles?
Zohar, Vayakhel 1:8
Subsequently, however, the sections separated, each betaking itself to its own affinity, and so the mixed multitude made the golden calf and led astray numbers who afterwards died, and thus brought upon Israel death and slaughter. The Holy One, blessed be He, then said: “Henceforward the work of the Tabernacle shall be performed from the side of Israel only.” Straightway “Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel… Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord” (Ibid. 35, 1-5). “From among you” emphatically, but not “from every man whose heart maketh him willing”, as in the previous injunction. Furthermore, as no place of assembly is mentioned, the words, “And Moses assembled”, etc., signify that, as the mixed multitude were mingled among the Israelites, Moses found it necessary to assemble the latter on one side so as to segregate them from the former.’
Zohar, Vayera 2:1
Midrash Ha'Ne'elam: The sages began their interpretation of this passage "Your oils are fragrant. For your flowing oil you are renowned" (Shir Hashirim 1:3). Our sages have taught that when the soul of a human being rises from earth to heaven, it stands in the Divine Illumination. The Holy One, blessed be He, visits it.
Zohar, Kedoshim 4:8
We may also translate “Ye shall wait for my sabbaths”, this being an admonition to those who wait for their marital intercourse from Sabbath to Sabbath, as it is written, “the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths” (Isa. 56, 4), for so we may call the Companions who emasculate themselves all the other days of the week in order to labour in the study of the Torah and wait from Sabbath to Sabbath. We may also take “father and mother” here to refer to the Body, and “my sabbaths” to the Soul, both of which cleave together.’
Zohar, Miketz 8:7
Finally, Hezekiah felt himself able neither to sing praises, nor to pursue, nor to engage in war, the reason being that he feared the above-mentioned sins. It is thus written: “And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred fourscore and five thousand; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses” (II Kings 19, 35). That is, Hezekiah sat in his house, and lay in his bed, whilst God slew them.
Zohar, Yitro 12:5
At a first casual examination his face would not inspire love, but gradually it becomes better comprehended and so better loved. When people look at him a sense of shame for his past misdeeds comes over him, for he feels that everyone knows his former evil ways, and the blood rushes to his face, and then again he turns pale.
Zohar, Nasso 13:5
What means “from world to world”? Said R. Isaac: ‘As it has been established in the exposition of the Holy Assembly;1The idra Rabba. it alludes to the two worlds.’ R. Hiya objected: ‘If so, it should have been written “from the world to the world”.’ Said R. Eleazar: ‘It is an allusion to the celestial Adam and the earthly Adam.
Zohar, Beshalach 13:15
Said R. Isaac: ‘When the Israelites encamped by the sea they saw many hosts, many armies, many camps, above and below, all united against Israel, and in their distress they prayed unto the Lord. The sea was stormy, its waves roared, behind them were all those hosts, all those armies of the Egyptians, and above them were all those celestial foes; and they began to cry to God. Then “the Lord said unto Moses: Why criest thou unto me?” Then the Most Holy Ancient One appeared, and Mercy was manifested in all the upper worlds and all the lights were lit.’
Zohar, Balak 7:3
Balak, through his sorceries, knew that the grades of Moses were very high, and he knew by the same means that the grades of Balaam corresponded.
Zohar, Vayishlach 2:11
And this is the very testimony which God commanded the Israelites to pronounce, as it is written: “And thou shalt testify and say before the Lord thy God: An Aramean intended to destroy my father, etc.” (Deut. 26, 5).
Zohar, Balak 8:1
It is written, “Lord, when thou wentest forth out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled”, etc. (Jud. 5, 4). This refers to the fact that before God gave the Law to Israel He offered it to the children of Esau and the children of Ishmael, and they would not accept it.
Zohar, Lech Lecha 15:3
Said R. Isaac, ‘The answer is contained in the words BECAUSE OF SARAI ABRAM’S WIFE: the angels as they smote him said “this blow is because of Sarai Abram’s wife” and no more, and then he knew that she was Abram’s wife, and straightway “Pharaoh called Abram and said, etc.”
Zohar, Bereshit 5:7
When it ascends, all ascend and are attached to it, and it reaches the place of En Sof, where it is stored away, and all becomes one. This dot of the word Awr is Light. It extended, and there shone forth in it seven letters of the alphabet, which did not solidify and remained fluid. Afterwards Darkness issued, and there issued in it seven other letters of the alphabet, and they too were not solidified and remained fluid. There then issued the Firmament, which prevented discord between the two sides. In it there issued eight other letters, making twenty-two in all. Seven letters jumped from one side and seven from the other, and all were graven in this Firmament, where they remained for a time fluid. When the firmament solidified, the letters were also solidified, and took material shape. Thus there was graven there the Torah to shine abroad.
Zohar, Terumah 10:3
A more esoteric explanation is as follows. First, in regard to the word “burden”, it should be noted that there were six grades in the divine revelation to the prophets: “appearance” (mahzeh), “vision” (hazon), “revelation” (hezyon), “aspect” (hazuth), “word”, and “burden”. The first five aspects are all like unto the vision of one who beholds a reflection of light from behind a wall, and some of them are as the vision of one who sees the light of the sun through a lantern. But “burden” signifies that the light came with great difficulty, and was barely revealed.
Zohar, Kedoshim 4:1
YE SHALL FEAR EVERY MAN HIS MOTHER AND HIS FATHER, ETC, The fear of mother and father is here put side by side with the keeping of the Sabbath. Said R. Jose: ‘It is all one; he who fears one keeps the other.
Zohar, Balak 8:15
Whenever Israel return to their father in heaven those ornaments are restored to them and they are invested with them, and in the time to come all will be returned.’
Zohar, Terumah 19:1
Then follows the union of the Matrona with Her Spouse: “A prayer of Moses, the man of God” (Ps. 90): He spreads out both His right and His left hands to receive Her and to unite Himself with Her in perfect union. Then follow other psalms of joy and ardent longing.
Zohar, Bereshit 2:5
[After the] point... After the [point] and the chamber were established as one, Beresheet which is Arich Anpin includes a lofty beginning to the light of Chochmah. Later, the appearance of the chamber changed and it was called a house and the supernal point was called the head. They were included in each other through the secret of the Beginning, because combining the words Bayit and Rosh forms the term Beresheet. This was so as long as Bayit and Rosh were as one, as long as there was no manner of habitation in the house; as long as Chochmah was not clothed with Chassadim, which reveals the four colors of the house. But it was sown for the purpose of habitation and, once it was inhabited, it was called by the name 'Elohim' hidden and concealed.
Zohar, Yitro 6:4
When he speaks three large wrinkles appear on his forehead and three smaller ones above each eye. If when he is angry he weeps, he is better than he appears to be. In word and deed he is forthright and cares nothing for anyone. He will study the Torah with profit. Anyone who allies himself with him will derive benefit from the association and will profit even in secular matters. He is not consistently pious. In legal affairs he will always be unlucky, and should therefore avoid such embroilments as far as possible. This type stands in the symbolism of the letter Nun alone when it is not included in the Zain. It is for this reason that he must shun legal matters, since he does not belong to the region of justice, but to that of love and mercy.
Zohar, Mishpatim 3:72
saying: “Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment”-to wit, with the light. of the first day, and then, “Who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain”, thus including the Left Side in the Right, so as to shine under the rubric of “heaven”, while the “very” was discarded. Then the verse proceeds: “Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters”: here we have the emergence in joy of the Tree of Life, the “River going out of Eden”, with the two willow shoots, referred to in the words “upper chambers”, rooted in its waters, so that it became “as a tree planted by the waters, that spreadeth out her roots by the river” (Jer. 105, 8).
Zohar, Shmini 1:2
By the Torah, too, was man created, as it is written, “And God said, Let us make man” (Gen. 1, 26). Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to the Torah: “I desire to create man.” She replied: “This man is destined to sin and to provoke Thee unless Thou art long-suffering with him; how, then, shall he endure?” To which God replied: “I and thou shall maintain him, for not for nothing am I called ‘long-suffering’.”
Zohar, Introduction 12:18
He thereupon began to discourse on the verse: And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, etc. (II Sam. 23, 20). ‘This verse’, he said, ‘has been well explained-in addition to its literal meaning-to signify high mysteries of the Torah. “Benaiah the son of Jehoiada” (i.e. son of God, son of knowing-God) contains an allusion to wisdom, and is a symbolic appellation which influences its bearer. “The son of a living man” indicates the “Zaddik, the life of the universe”. “Mighty of deeds” signifies the Master of all actions and of all celestial hosts, since all proceed from him; He is the “Lord of hosts”, the insignia of all His hosts, yet distinguished and exalted above all.
Zohar, Shemot 13:46
for the first exile began during the first Temple, and lasted seventy years, during which time the Mother (the Shekinah) did not brood over Israel, and there was a separation between the Yod and the He, the Yod ascending higher and higher to infinity (En Sof), and the holy Temple above- corresponding to the Temple below-did not send forth living waters, its source being cut off.
Zohar, Balak 2:5
But when they saw the might of Moses they said: “A fire has gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon”. Why did they use both names? They said: All paths and ways are closed by the power of their leader.
Zohar, Kedoshim 3:3
Said R. Jose: ‘But it says here “the fear of the Lord”, and not “the Torah”?’ He replied: ‘It means the same thing, because the Torah comes from the side of Geburah (Might).’ Said R. Jose: ‘Rather derive it from here: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Ibid. 111, 10). It is written: “The fear of the Lord is pure”,’
Zohar, Vayakhel 10:12
R. Abba then lifted up his voice and said: ‘Woe! O Rabbi Simeon! thou art living and we weep concerning thee; but we weep not for thee, we weep for the Companions and for the world. R. Simeon is like a bright lamp which throws light above and below. Alas for the world, for the time when the lower illumination will pass away and be absorbed in the upper illumination! Who will then diffuse through the world the light of the Torah?’ R. Abba then rose and kissed R. Hiya, saying: ‘You were in possession of these thoughts, hence the Holy One, blessed be He, sent me hither to become one of your company. Happy is my portion!’
Zohar, Mishpatim 3:138
And when the spirits visit this world and the dead attach themselves to the living they do it only through drawing down the essential spirit, which then wears the other as a garment. And should ye ask, “In that case the essential spirit of the first husband profits thereby, and the woman therefore has done him a favour in marrying again?” I would say it is not so, for had she not married again, and the spirit of the first husband not so been thrust out by that of the second, he would have profited in a different way: his spirit would not have had to roam about in the world and pay visits to the living.
Zohar, Mishpatim 2:1
IF THOU BUY AN HEBREW SERVANT, SIX YEARS HE SHALL SERVE. When a soul is doomed to undergo transmigration, should it be one which has emanated from the side of the Servant, Metatron, who represents in himself six aspects, then the successive revolutions of that soul will not be more than six years (i.e. times) until it shall have completed the six stages which lead back to the region from whence it came.
Zohar, Bamidbar 1:15
“He will bless the house of Israel”, indicating the women who were not included in the enumeration, “He will bless the house of Aaron”, who pronounce the blessing on Israel generously and out of goodness of heart and love. “The house of Aaron”: again including their women.
Zohar, Mishpatim 3:170
Therefore we pray in the synagogues that this Name may be restored as it was: “May His great Name be magnified and sanctified”: “May the great Name be blessed.” What is that “great Name”? It is the one that was in the beginning, the first of all, without whom there can be no building. The.”Mi” will never be built up without the “Eleh”. Therefore at that time (the Messianic age) the “Mi”.and the “Eleh” “shall fly as a cloud”, and the whole world shall see that the supernal Name has been restored to its perfection;
Zohar, Behar 1:1
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES… THEN SHALL THE LAND KEEP A SABBATH UNTO THE LORD. R. Eleazar introduced this portion with a discourse on the verse: “This is the law of the burnt-offering, the burnt-offering shall be”, etc. (Lev. 6, 2). ‘We have explained this verse’, he said, ‘to refer to the Community of Israel when she ascends to join the Holy King in perfect union.
Zohar, Mishpatim 3:272
We have been taught (cf. Pirke Aboth, ch. v) that ten things were created upon the eve of the Sabbath in the twilight, at the time when the work of Creation was ended and the Sabbath not yet begun; among which are the shape of the written characters, the writing, and the tables of stone; for it is written: “And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables” (Ex. 32, 16). Now it may be asked, what proof is there in this verse that these things were indeed created on the eve of the Sabbath, and not perhaps a thousand years later, or, maybe, when the Israelites stood at Mount Sinai? However, there can be no doubt that they were created on the eve of this Sabbath, for the following reason. In the whole account of the Creation (Gen. I) it is always the name Elohim which is used to denote God; but after the completion of the whole work God is called with the full name, TETRAGRAMMATON Elohim (Gen. 2, 4).
Zohar, Balak 6:65
In fact, Joshua and the elders who survived him were also forbidden to attack Moab because they were all members of the Beth Din of Moses, and what was forbidden to Moses was forbidden to them, and also because the precious pearls had not yet issued from them. For Ruth was in the days of the Judges. She was the daughter of Eglon, King of Moab, and when Eglon was killed by Ehud they appointed another king, and his daughter was left in charge of a guardian. When Elimelech came to the field of Moab she married his son.
Zohar, Bereshit 4:6
These are suspended in the expanse; that is to say, sometimes they are suspended in the expanse when they rise out of the chasm, and sometimes they are hidden, to wit, on the “day of cloud”, when they draw waters from the abyss to supply therewith Tohu, for then there is joy that Tohu was spread in the universe.
Zohar, Balak 6:36
Said the boy: ‘From the smell of your garments I can see that Ammon and Moab have been attacking you; how did you escape them? You had no weapons, and yet you went in confidence without fear.’ R. Eleazar and R. Abba and the Companions were in amazement. Said R. Abba: ‘Blessed is this journey and happy is our lot that we have been privileged to see this. ‘ They went on preparing the table,
Zohar, Vayakhel 12:11
Rab Hamnuna the elder took this phrase interrogatively, thus: “is there a brightness round about it?”, implying that it may be treated with contempt, since its brightness is concealed within it and is not visible from without. And because the brightness is within, the verse continues, “and out of the midst thereof’, to wit, of the midst of that brightness, “as the form of hashmal” (electrum). The term hashmal has been interpreted as being composed of hash and mal, meaning Hayoth (order of angels), of quivering fire.1The term hashmal is resolved into hayoth (beasts), esh (fire), mallei (mutter or quiver).
Zohar, Shemot 11:5
As R. Eleazar was sitting one day at the gate of Lydda along with R. Abba, R. Judah, and R. Jose, R. Jose said: ‘Listen, and I will tell you the sights which I have seen this morning. I rose early and beheld a bird which flew up three times and down once, exclaiming: “Ye celestials, ye angels of the higher sphere! In these days three heavenly Chieftains are raising up rulers on the earth. One is dislodged from his throne and made to pass through the Fiery Stream. He and his power are annihilated. But three mighty pillars of great height still stand upon the world.”